9 January 2023 Hellhole Canyon Trail to Maidenhair Falls (5 miles, +1,000/-1,000 feet). Before heading back to San Diego this morning, we got in one more hike at nearby Hellhole Canyon. The trail is pretty flat at first, heading straight up a (by comparison) lush wash. As we ascended it got steeper and we started…
Category: Anza-Borrego
The Slot
8 January 2023 West Butte Trail to Borego Mountain Wash (5 miles, +800/-800 feet). It’s Half Cookie’s birthday this weekend! (er, birth-weekend?) We decided to go do a couple of hikes in Anza Borrego State Park. It’s California’s largest state park, but relatively unknown to people outside of Southern California. We love it! We decided…
Oriflamme Canyon
14 April 2022 Lake Cuyamaca to Stagecoach Trails RV Resort(20 miles, +800/-3,100 feet). It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be last night, and I slept okay in my tent by the lake. I woke up in time to eat my cold-soaked oatmeal and pack up before sunrise. The first part of the…
Coyote Canyon
15 January 2022 Lower Coyote Canyon (6 miles, +500 / -500 feet). We haven’t gotten much rain in Anza-Borrego this year, so sadly there will be no super-bloom. But you can still find lots of flowers near water sources, so Half Cookie and I decided to hike Coyote Creek, which flows year-round. It’s close to…
Perseids 2021
12-13 August 2021 Sunrise Trailhead to PCT mile 55.9 and back (8 miles, +900/-900 feet). I am still nursing a tendonitis injury so I have not done any hiking lately. But I am itching to get back out there, so I suggested to Half Cookie that she and I do a very short trip to…
McCain Valley
16-17 November 2020 (10 miles, +1,000/-1,000 feet). Now that the pandemic is raging again, my options for trips are limited. It’s too cold and dark to go north and Cleveland National Forest is still closed. Fortunately, Anza-Borrego is still open, so I decided to check out a corner I had never been to before: the…
Anza Escape
26 March 2020 Carrizo Canyon to Rockhouse Canyon and back (8 miles, +700/-700 feet). So we’ve been under stay at home orders for several days in California due to COVID-19, but it’s been a bit confusing about what is allowed and what is not. Half Cookie and I have been going a little stir crazy…
Day 3: Done (again!)
Angelina Spring to Stagecoach Trails RV Resort (11 miles, +1,200/-1,400 feet). Arrrrrrgghh! It happened again. I gave up. Yesterday was so hard. I’ve been pushing myself way too much. After getting to my resting point for today I just couldn’t bear the thought of another sweaty slog up a moderately-interesting canyon that I have seen…
Day 2: A Tough Climb
Inspiration Point to Angelina Spring (25 miles +4,400/-3,000 feet). Yikes what a tough day. Hot climbs in the afternoon are the worst for me. I have to do a better job coping with them. The day started out great as I awoke from beautiful sleep to gorgeous pre-dawn views at Inspiration Point. I packed up…
The JimmyJam Hiking Club 